In recent years, as a copyright protection technique in the DVD standards and so forth, for example, CPRM (Content Protection for Recordable Media) is known.
In media (DVD-RAM, DVD-RW and so forth) ready for such CPRM, all contents ready for CPRM are encrypted, and key information called MKB (Media Key Block) is recorded in the lead-in region of the medium and a medium ID which is unique ID information different for each medium is recorded in a region called BCA (Burst Cutting Area). It is to be noted that the MKB and the medium ID cannot be copied nor changed.
The MKB is issued by a licensing organization (for example, the 4C Entity, LLC), and the number of media which can be produced using one MKB is determined in advance. In particular, the MKB is updated every time a fixed number of media are fabricated, and a new MKB is issued by the licensing organization every time the production number of media exceeds the fixed number (for example, 5,000).
On the other hand, on a device side on which contents stored in the media are reproduced or contents are recorded on the media, a device key (equipment key) produced by the licensing organization in a corresponding relationship to the MKB is registered, and, in CPRM, decryption or encryption of a content is carried out to reproduce or record the content using the device key, MKB, medium ID and so forth.
For example, in CPRM, where a content recorded on a medium is reproduced using a device, the content is decrypted using a key produced using the device key, MKB and so forth.
Then, if the device key is penetrated by analysis or the like by any chance, then a new MKB is issued by the licensing organization so that the device key corresponding to the penetrated cryptographic key cannot be used. Consequently, illegal utilization of the content (medium) can be prevented.
Further, where a PC (Personal Computer) is ready for CPRM, software (application ready for CPRM) used for reproduction and recording of a medium corresponds to the device described above.
It is to be noted that, according to CPRM, a PC having a device key different from that of a PC on which a content (encrypted content) recorded on a medium is produced is used cannot perform a decryption process of the content.
Incidentally, according to a rule determined by the licensing organization described above, 5,000 device keys can be distributed in the maximum. On the ground of this, a software maker of applications ready for CPRM can take a method of fabricating 5,000 sets of packets with one device key applied thereto (refer to Non-Patent Document 1 hereinafter given).
In particular, as described above, since the number of media which can be fabricated using an MKB or a device key produced corresponding to the MKB is determined in advance by the licensing organization (for example, 5,000 media), for example, in order to fabricate fifty-hundred thousand PCs of the pre-installed model in which applications and an OS (Operating System) ready for CPRM are installed in advance, 500,000/5,000=1,000 kinds of device keys are acquired in advance from the licensing organization.
In a fabrication source of the PC, upon fabrication of PCs of a pre-installed model, a master hard disk which has a data configuration same as that of a hard disk of a PC to be shipped is prepared in advance and the master hard disk is successively copied to duplicate hard disks to be provided in PCs. However, preparation of master hard disks which individually correspond to many kinds of device keys in this manner is not desirable because an increased fabrication cost is required.
Therefore, in the conventional technique, upon shipment of such PCs of a pre-installed model as described above, a piece of paper on which one of 1,000 different device keys is printed is prepared and annexed to each PC wherein an application or an OS is installed on a hard disk thereof.
Then, if a user who bought the PC inputs the device key using a keyboard or the like while referring to the annexed paper upon first time starting of the PC, then the inputted device key is set to and registered into an application ready for CPRM, and as a result, a process such as reproduction, recording or the like can be performed for a medium described above.
However, such inputting working of the device key as described above is cumbersome to the user, and it is not convenient that, even if a PC is bought, the PC cannot be used immediately. Further, also to the trading source of the PC, it is necessary to manage the number of shipped PCs (that is, the number of shipped pieces of paper on which a device key is printed) and change, every time and the number of the shipment reaches the predetermined number, the paper to be annexed to a PC to different paper on which another device key is printed. Therefore, there is a subject that the trading source is urged to bear a burden of an increased cost required for management of the number of shipped pieces of paper on which a device key is printed.
The present invention has been made in view of such a subject as described above, and it is an object of the present invention to eliminate the necessity for a user to perform inputting of setting information to enhance the convenience and allow the trading source to decrease the management cost for setting information.
Non-Patent Document 1: “[Special feature article this week] Great special issue on recording type DVD drives; those ready for the two-layer type or those of the multi-layer type which are reasonably priced, not to endure any more!?”, [online], Jun. 19, 2004, ascii24.com, [searched Sep. 9, 2004], Internet <URL:http://ascii24.com/news/specials/article/2004/06/19/6 50184-002.html>